Where does “nimikirjain” come from?
nimikirjain (Finnish) comes from Finnish kirjain, from Finnish kirjata, from Finnish kirja, from Proto-Finnic kirja — decoration, carving, pattern.
nimikirjain (Finnish): initial
Ancestry of “nimikirjain”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Finnish | kirjain | letter; Genitive plural form of kirja |
| 2 | Finnish | kirjata | to book, log, register; to register |
| 3 | Finnish | kirja | book; quire |
| 4 | Proto-Finnic | kirja | decoration, carving, pattern |